The Nobel Altercation
by Darkstarre123
Summary: Sheldon is being unbearable after receiving a nomination for a Nobel Physics Prize. But his confidence shatters when he realises someone else is competing for it. Will they both be able to keep their emotions in check and who will win the prize? Please read and review-constructive feedback is always appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

The Nobel Altercation

The wind bit into Leonard's skin as he dashed into the building, carrying a bag of Chinese food, it's tantalising scent wafting in the air. Entering the apartment, he saw Sheldon typing furiously on his computer. Glancing up, the taller man acknowledged his counterpart.

"Leonard, should I include Howard as part of my team to thank when I give my Nobel Prize acceptance speech?" Sheldon enquired.

"Well, why would you not, Sheldon? He did help you gain the needed resources," Leonard replied.

"Yes but isn't he merely an acquaintance, Leonard. I thought we kept him along because he's like… a useful tool," Sheldon remarked.

"How do you that you're going to win it anyway?" Leonard enquired, baffled.

"Oh please Leonard," Sheldon scowled, "Apart from Hawking and Feynman, who in this world is able to match my level of intellect?"

"Me, Raj, Howard?" offered Leonard.

"Ha-ha," Sheldon laughed in his strange way, "That's humourous Leonard."

Leonard sighed; it was one of those battles he would never win. He began to unpack the bags of Chinese food and his mouth watered at the thought of steamy noodles, fresh rice and of course Sheldon's usual: cashew chicken. He sat back and rested; he had been worn out completely but of course Sheldon would always go the extra mile to make him feel worse. Not that it was his buddy's fault. He had always been socially awkward and unable to comprehend feelings. Recently, his days were becoming unbearable though due to the constant reminder of Sheldon's nomination for the Nobel Physics Prize. His level of annoying was skyrocketing and Leonard was confident that he would soon end up in a mental hospital, thanks to Sheldon. Wearily, he lay back on the couch just as Howard and Raj burst in to the room.

"Have you checked the Nobel Physics Prize contenders website?" Howard asked brightly.

"Oh God Howard," Leonard moaned, "You're pretty much feeding him his ego on a plate."

Raj ignored him, "Just check it."

Sheldon hurriedly got it up and gave a triumphant smile.

"See, there's my name and my work: ' **Dr. Sheldon Cooper - Dark Matter'**."

"No, scroll down to the bottom," Raj persisted.

Leonard's eyes widened and Sheldon inhaled sharply.

"Oh my God, are you serious?" Leonard gasped.

"Yep," Howard grinned and turned to face Sheldon, "Any words, Sheldon?"

Sheldon sat, stunned into silence.

" _The_ Sheldon Cooper is speechless. Well this is certainly a momentous occasion," Howard smirked.

As Sheldon sat, shocked, he repeatedly read that name that had totally thrown him off course. Blinking, he re-read it again. Nope, he was not hallucinating, dreaming or drunk. By this point he was so distracted that he had forgotten about the Chinese food. Taking a deep breath, he reviewed what he had just read; contending for the Nobel Physics Prize, at the bottom of the nominees list, was **'Dr. Leonard Hofstadter – Research on Supersolids.'**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"And then right at the bottom of the list Amy, was Leonard's name! I mean can you believe it? Why is he even a candidate? His work is fairly irrelevant compared to mine in the field of physics!" Sheldon complained as his girlfriend, Amy digested this information, thinking of the correct words that would explain the bigger picture to Sheldon, whilst not offending him.

"Well Sheldon, his work is still important and he deserves it too. He has produced some theories, which are changing our concepts of supersolids," she suggested hopefully, "But I agree that you should win it instead of Leonard", she added sympathetically.

"What if he wins Amy? What if his work advances to unexplored heights whereas I realise mine has peaked already. I'll have to move back home to Texas because the university will cut my funding and then I will be forced to teach evolution to creationists, who will not believe or understand any of it!" Sheldon panicked uncontrollably.

Amy rolled her eyes before turning to her boyfriend. Though she loved him greatly, he would sometimes act like a child with his comics, selfishness, hunger for attention and mood swings. Gathering her coat and handbag, she informed Sheldon that she needed to return home, to which he reluctantly agreed. As she exited apartment 4A, a sudden thought came to her.

"Sheldon, have you congratulated Leonard yet?" she responded, though she guessed the answer already.

He shook his head as Amy let out an audible long sigh.

"Sheldon, he is your best friend and roommate. He sees you the most and was the first person to congratulate you when you received your nomination. So why haven't you done the same?"

"I won't Amy, he is now as of today, my sworn rival. Plus he totally overshadows Kripke as a nemesis," he declared accusingly, emphasising the last word as Amy gulped, reflecting on the time she had helped Kripke with his research, making Sheldon feel betrayed.

"Seriously Sheldon, that is being a terrible friend. Even if Leonard had been nominated before you, he would always have still congratulated you," Amy said as Sheldon paused from his glaring to think this over.

"I suppose so," he murmured shortly before waling over to the door, where Amy lingered.

"Thank you very much Amy Farrah Fowler for explaining these perplexing circumstances," Sheldon quietly said, before surprising Amy by drawing her in for a hug – a rare form of physical interaction.

Amy smiled, as they pulled away, hoping that finally they were getting somewhere in their relationship.

"Your hair smells like the brain of a capuchin monkey, were you dissecting one this morning?" Sheldon remarked.

Sighing, she started to walk out.

"It's too strong for my sensitive olfactory nerve" he called as she walked down the stairs, that bit of hope extinguishing immediately.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Good morning Leonard, how was your sleep?" Sheldon enquired as his roommate lumbered into the kitchen drowsily.

"Fine thanks," he replied as he began to make his coffee, gathering his thoughts about how to spend his day.

"Would you like some pancakes for breakfast? While I gather that it's Monday and we usually have oatmeal, I am willing to bend the schedule slightly today," Sheldon commented as Leonard looked up suspiciously.

"What's up Sheldon? We _never_ alter your schedule," Leonard enquired.

"Oh, it's nothing," Sheldon responded, "Amy just told me that I should congratulate you on receiving a nomination for the Nobel Physics Prize. So congratulations," he added.

"Oh, well thank you Sheldon," his friend accepted, grateful that Sheldon had not mentioned the issue and gone berserk.

"I was sure that you would have reacted upset," Leonard continued.

"Oh, no it's all fine. Besides, after much evaluation, I realise that I have nothing to worry about."

Leonard was slightly taken aback. This cool, calm person had now replaced the flustered Sheldon from yesterday and had even cockily admitted that he saw Leonard as no competition. Definitely, different compared to the initial behaviour of his comrade.

"I-I-I'm sorry, what do you mean 'I have nothing to worry about'?" Leonard questioned.

"Well, the truth of the matter is that although you have been nominated, compared to my work, it is pointless. My research will prove to be crucial to the future of physics whereas your development on the concept of supersolids seems to have no particular affect in the way we understand the universe in the near future," Sheldon smugly explained.

"Well then why did I get nominated too for the Nobel Prize?" Leonard countered.

"Maybe it was an error, the answer beats me," Sheldon simply said.

Leonard's eyes blazed with fury as he tried to restrain himself from unleashing a verbal attack on Sheldon.

"Well Sheldon it wasn't a mistake. My work is as valuable and possibly more valuable than yours. And I think that you're just scared that the Nobel Physics Prize will be in this apartment, but won't belong to you!" Leonard shouted at his roommate.

"That's preposterous Leonard! Supersolids are of no use to us. When I am awarded the prize, dark matter will become the talking point, the new way to look forward in the field of physics. Your supersolids work just stops right there. Nothing more to know about it, not that anyone wants to listen to you rambling on about it," he flamed.

Leonard's ears turned pink and he stomped right out their apartment, infuriated with his unbearable roommate. Sheldon, likewise, marched to his bedroom to finish preparing his acceptance speech. Unbeknownst to both of them, a rift had just emerged between their friendship, and was slowly, but surely expanding.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

The silence in the apartment was deafening. It had been a week now since the feud and their unwillingness to be the first to blink had become apparent, through their long periods of silence and few brief moments of communication.

Leonard was watching Babylon 5 on TV; Sheldon was reading through Internet articles on his computer. The frostiness between the physicists had been felt throughout the gang too. Although nobody dared picked sides, it would soon become clear that sides would be taken for the future clash. Penny and Amy supported their own boyfriend's fiercely, whilst still maintaining their own relationship…just. Raj and Howard seemed content to watch the series of events unravel before them, whilst Bernadette tried to diffuse the tense atmosphere, wary of potential forthcoming events.

Restlessly, Leonard switched off the television. He though that it would always be more fun if Sheldon just gave him some well – earned peace and quiet, but now he was simply too bored. He glanced discreetly at Sheldon, who typed away speedily at his computer. Anything would be better than this now. The silence was killing him.

"No, I can't surrender and lose to him," Leonard mused as he walked over to the fridge to grab a snack.

Sheldon was engrossed in it: an interesting article about the history of the flag of Mozambique, when he sensed an opportunity. The lack of chitchat in the apartment had been just what he needed. His mind was now at peak potential, clear, and hungry for learning and his current work at Caltech was fascinating. Each new day, he practically bounded into his office and he returned home smugly with results that supported his theory, each giving him more confidence that he would outclass Leonard when it came to the prize that he had dreamed of winning since he was eight. He hadn't sensed yet though that Leonard was feeling the opposite and instead believed that this break was unfortunately aiding his nemesis too. However, Sheldon had prepared a string of tactics to ensure what would soon be his prize.

"Oh Leonard," Sheldon said innocently.

Leonard raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Yeah?"

"Would you pass me that bowl of yoghurt please?" he asked, masking a smirk.

"Oh, s-sure," Leonard obliged handing Sheldon the bowl.

"Thank you," Sheldon smiled, walking away from his desk. I think that I will eat this moist, nutritious yoghurt in my room."

Leonard stared, perplexed at his friend's crazier-than-normal actions. After a week of ignoring him, Sheldon asked for food as if the ice between them had melted ages ago. Pushing his thought to the back of his mind, Leonard grabbed a slice of pizza and sat in the orange couch (in Sheldon's spot) reading a Batman comic.

Sheldon walked past his bedroom with the yoghurt and quietly opened Leonard's room. He was unsure of how suspicious he had appeared but his ego diffused those thoughts as he quietly shut the door. Sheldon Cooper, PhD. Master of Stealth, Ninja of Cunning. He pulled back Leonard's duvet, grabbed the spoon of yoghurt and began to smear the pillows, bed sheets and duvet with wet, cold yoghurt before putting the damp spoon in one of Leonard's formal jackets…


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone, apologies that I have not been consistently updating this story. The past year or so has been really busy and I honestly forgot about all this until I stumbled onto it a month ago and posted chapter four. I now have a lot more time (I hope) so will be posting more frequently. Please read and review**

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Chapter 5

"He did what?!" Penny exclaimed as an exasperated Leonard completed his unpleasant tale, "I can't believe that he would even stoop that low."

"Well I can and I probably should have guessed that he would have done something like that because he's **Sheldon**!" Leonard muttered grimly. "I know that he can be jealous and spiteful but he's now being remarkably immature."

Leonard rubbed his bloodshot eyes – having already gone to bed at 11:30, he had failed to sleep soundly throughout the night, adjusting his position to evade the damp patches of smelly, cold yoghurt. As a result of his constant tossing and turning, his work had been unusually unproductive the next day and his personality was snappy and uptight. And Sheldon had been revelling gloriously in his roommate's discomfort. His plan had worked sweetly and though he knew that he would be the primary suspect, he ushered away these thoughts, instead reminding himself of the success of his plan.

Leonard glanced at his watch, it was 6:00. "I've got to go to my apartment, it's vintage game night, though I don't know how I will be able to tolerate the monstrosity that resides there."

Penny glanced sympathetically at Leonard as he trudged out sluggishly. She was secretly enraged that Sheldon had the cheek to do that to her boyfriend and she felt both annoyed and puzzled as to why Amy hadn't talked him out of this. Her boyfriend shouldn't have to suffer actions of jealousy. She quickly called Amy, telling her to come over to discuss an urgent matter.

Twenty minutes later, Amy Farrah Fowler entered her best friend's accommodation, in a cheery and upbeat mood.

"You called, I came, bestie," she greeted as she took a seat on Penny's couch next to her counterpart.

Penny gave a slight smile, then turned serious.

"Look, Amy, Sheldon purposely tried to sabotage Leonard's state in an attempt to guarantee that he wins the Nobel Prize out of jealousy and spite. Did you know about this?" Penny interrogated.

Amy frowned, "I was not informed of this. What did he do?"

"He coated Leonard's bed with cold, wet yoghurt to keep him up at night, so at work he was too tired to do anything useful."

Amy looked taken aback. "I am shocked. I previously tried to make Sheldon see Leonard's perspective of this matter, but he seemed to take that fully in."

"Well, obviously not," Penny said harshly. Amy flinched, slightly irked by the sourness of her friend.

"I'm sorry about this. Sheldon has acted wrong and I will make this clear to him," Amy apologised.

"Yeah, please do," Penny answered as she poured herself a glass of wine.

Amy looked awkwardly at the floor, unsure of what to say next. She twiddled her thumbs, in a bored state, then glanced back at her friend, who downed a tall glass with staggering ease.

"Penny?"

Her friend glanced at her, "Yeah?"

Amy hesitated; what she said next could be risky but having already started this new conversation, she felt fully pledged towards her case.

"Erm... I just wanted to ask you… do you know how long Sheldon has waited for this prize to be his?"

"No," returned her friend, as more crimson liquid cascaded like a waterfall of blood from the wine bottle.

"Well, he has waited since he was eight. This obviously means a lot to him. In fact, I believe that since he entered physics, it has been his target priority. I doubt that Leonard has dreamt of collecting it for as long as Sheldon, so could you tell Leonard to possibly be a bit sensitive to Sheldon's needs for this short period of time until it's announced?" Amy asked hopefully.

Penny stood up.

"Excuse me?" she shouted. "You are asking me to tell my boyfriend to be more sensitive towards Sheldon! I cannot believe you Amy, we all know how much of a hassle he usually is and no one sees and hears more of it than Leonard. He has developed a new level of patience, just for Sheldon entirely!" she practically yelled.

"Yet here you are, telling me to tell Leonard, whose condition has been sabotaged by your **selfish** boyfriend, that he needs to go even further with his tolerating of Sheldon's behaviour. I can't believe you! You of all people know how hard it is to be with Sheldon, Amy! God, I should have known that you would have sided with Sheldon, regardless of my presence. Some 'bestie' you are."

Amy sat on the verge of tears. Her pride was wounded and her emotions hung on by a thin thread, slowly slipping from her grasp. She had just tried to seek reason, defending her boyfriend, whilst accepting that he had done wrong and then suddenly, Penny had completely flipped out, insulting her and Sheldon, making her feel upset and humiliated.

She had entered in a joyful demeanour, but she left in a shaken and inconsolable mood Without uttering a word, and with watery eyes, Amy marched out of the apartment and departed home, slamming the door on her way out, sending shockwaves through the walls and the air, so loud that they could even be felt in their friendship…


	6. Chapter 6

Hello everyone, here is chapter six! As always, please read and review, constructive criticism is always welcome and comment ideas that you may want to see.

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Chapter 6:

Sheldon couldn't sleep. An irregularity for him. He tossed restlessly, trying to find the optimum position. His body shuffled and he emitted a small groan as he realised that work tomorrow would be futile if he didn't sleep within the next ten minutes or so. _I can't sacrifice a single day_ he thought as his eyes warily flickered beneath their eyelids. _A single day could just as well cost me victory. I must win._

The pointlessness of the task quickly became apparent though and reluctantly, he turned on his bedside light and sat up as his eyes fixated on the clock. _I've been up for half an hour, damn,_ his mind thought. Sighing audibly, he decided to just get some warm milk before attempting to connect with sleep again. As he got up, his curious eyes meandered around the room, browsing his comics, his desk, his equipment-

Suddenly, they stopped on something. A picture of their social group, in their apartment. He was sitting in his spot next to Leonard, and he noticed the 3-D chess set which rested on the table. Re-jogging his memory, he suddenly recalled the occasion. Nine months ago, a more peaceful time. Leonard had yet again been beaten at the game by Sheldon's far superior intellect. But he seemed remarkably happy in the image. _Ah, those were the good ol' days_ Sheldon thought warmly, _before any conflict had occurred._ He looked back at Leonard searchingly. His face was radiant with joy. Sheldon gave a small smile. He had often tried to watch out for his friend, especially when his relationship with Penny began to hit the rocks. He had even gone as far as warning Penny not to hurt his friend. His best friend. A sensation of apprehension spread through his body as those words started to play on his mind. Was Leonard still his best friend? Was he even a friend? Sheldon thought about it with a great deal of uncertainty.

Walking into the kitchen to acquire his milk and dismissing the urge to immediately rest and fall into a deep, hypnotic slumber, Sheldon felt an abrupt surge of something. He couldn't quite place his finger on it. Perhaps it was power. It was an alien feeling to him, which he concluded was extreme fatigue. That surge of "extreme fatigue" kept him up. He decided to devote a proportion of time to considering where he currently stood with Leonard.

Sheldon took a long drink and the warm liquid trickled soothingly down his throat, softly encouraging him to think about the matter. How did he currently feel about Leonard? Sheldon hesitated. Despite not being on speaking terms since the yoghurt incident, he still tolerated Leonard. _Tolerated is a bit too cold_ he chided himself. Okay, more than tolerated. He still felt content in Leonard's company. Before the whole fiasco concerning the Nobel Prize, he was amicable towards Leonard. Friendly, very much so. Best friends?

Sheldon paused. He gave a small nod, considering it so. Now though, where did they lie? Sheldon was not even sure if they had reached amicable terms. Casting his mind back to the beginning of the feud, when Leonard had discovered his nomination, Sheldon carefully dissected the unfolding chain of events that had spiralled chaotically between them. He had been furious. No, that was an understatement. Apocalyptically enraged? Close enough. He had dreamed of this since he was eight. He had assumed that Leonard wanted it too, but honestly had not imagined that his work would be recognised as much as it was. But he had been angry, so angry. He had then infuriated Leonard, deeming his work not good enough, branding it mediocre. A pang resonated in Sheldon's heart and was felt throughout the entirety of his body. This was a relatively new feeling. He couldn't be sure whether he liked it or not, but he felt a tingling sensation throughout the interior of his body.

After that, he had promptly caused a great argument, rivalling the quarrel concerning the tragedy that was Babylon 5. He rolled his eyes at the thought of that pathetic excuse for a TV show. That argument had been the yoghurt incident, throughout which he smugly congratulated himself on his smart actions. Then, he felt it again. That feeling. The pang in his chest, but now it was multiplied. He had also heard the argument between Penny and Amy, his girlfriend. That annoyed Sheldon. _Why did Amy have to be brought in all of this? She was an innocent bystander who felt inclined to support me_ he mused angrily. Him and Leonard both heard Penny's shouts from across the hall, when the drama unfolded and exchanged uneasy glances, still maintaining their silence. There! He felt it again. That pang in his chest, that unmistakable feeling. He was intrigued now. The force was strong with this one. Sheldon thought for a few minutes, his mind buried in clouds of rummaging thoughts, trying to recall specific events where he had felt this feeling. Then, the penny dropped.

"No, could it really be this?" he whispered aloud, as his mind toyed with the idea. Yes, it was that. The feeling towards seeing Leonard feeling hurt and shocked, when he had insulted him and his work. The feeling towards his cruel prank and Amy's situation. And the feeling towards seeing Leonard once happy, and not now. Sheldon considered it one last time, then gave a satisfied nod and returned to bed. He clambered in and closed his eyes.

"Yes," he murmured. "I'm feeling remorse."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Leonard groggily awoke from his peaceful sleep and clambered clumsily out of his bed, trudging towards the kitchen. Sheldon sat in his spot, wearing his emerald green dressing gown, reading a Batman comic intently as Leonard entered.

Sheldon looked up as Leonard started to make his own cereal.

"Good morning Leonard," Sheldon greeted, quietly, but pleasantly.

Leonard raised an eyebrow in suspicion. They hadn't communicated for ten days now, except for the occasional necessary enquiry, often about arrangements or food. Leonard had tried to not let Sheldon's narcissistic opinions have a detrimental effect on his own enjoyment. He still partook in the regular activities: going to the comic book store, playing vintage board games and even when he was alone with Sheldon, occasionally participating in Xbox and Wii games, despite their restrained attempts to not communicate. He decided to play the situation cautiously, but semi-openly.

"Good morning Sheldon," he returned, politely.

Sheldon took an inaudible deep breath and quickly rehearsed what he had intended to say to Leonard following his personal events of the previous night.

"Leonard," he began slowly, "as you know, I am not very good with comprehending feelings. I never have been, and though I have often made attempts to become as skilled in this field as most other people, I never will be. When I began criticising you and your work for receiving a nomination, I never took into account your feelings. I was being… selfish. Very much so. I hurt you, Penny, and through the process of that, Amy. I'm sorry Leonard. I'm sorry for me putting the yoghurt in your bed and all the other… horrible things that I've done to you, I really am. I will try to be more considerate in the future. You also deserve the nomination and deserve as much respect for your work as I do. Please Leonard, can we return to speaking, to enjoying our times together, to being friends?"

Leonard stood, paralysed with shock. He had known Sheldon for ten years. Very rarely had he expressed regret or revealed his inner emotions. How could Leonard even tell whether it was genuine?

But his tone of voice. He could definitely determine some pain and guilt, as well as sadness and regret. Sheldon had never been able to fake his feelings well. Surely then it was no different this time? Surely he was telling the truth? Leonard had missed his company and presence in the last few days and this had just helped the side of the argument willing to forgive his friend.

But what if he was faking it. Sheldon had always been desperate to acquire the prize. It had been his childhood dream since he was ten. It was his first nomination. Leonard suddenly felt a trickling of what he assumed Sheldon was feeling when he realised that Leonard was also being nominated. Threatened? Vulnerable? Desperately trying to conceal it? Yes, yes and yes.

Leonard realised how much this mattered to his buddy and suddenly started to wonder whether he was faking it, in a desperate bid to make Leonard let his guard down, triggering a bloodthirsty Sheldon Cooper to win the coveted award. Leonard's conflicted emotions were tearing him apart. He wanted to believe his friend, wanted it to be a genuine apology, but if it was false, then it would be the last straw. He didn't know whether his career could recover from that, let alone his friendship with his roommate.

"Leonard?" Sheldon gently asked, reminding him of the reality of the events.

Leonard hesitated, before deciding his battle tactics. Accept the apology but remain wary, don't completely forgive him.

"Thank you for your apology Sheldon, I know that it must have meant a lot to you, if all that was really true," Leonard said as Sheldon gave a small, warm smile.

"However," Leonard paused, watching Sheldon's smile fade away, "what you did with the yoghurt was really out of order. I can understand the competitive aspect of this all, but you stooped really low there."

He watched Sheldon's face turn red, presumably with guilt and embarrassment.

"So, although I forgive you, I'm not really sure at the minute where we stand. Give me a few days and I'll let you know if we are still friends or whether we have to build up that trust again." Leonard finished.

Sheldon gave a nod as he returned promptly to his room. He felt a surge of anger flowing through his body and he let out an audible sigh. Although the reaction was not as he expected, he wasn't too disappointed. Leonard had kindly acknowledged his apology but hadn't completely accepted their status as friends.

That was to be expected though.

"After all, you reap what you sow," Sheldon mused, "maybe my apology was not perceived by him as genuine enough. Maybe he still thought I was attempting to deceive him."

Sheldon sat on his bed, pondering his next options. They all led to the same conclusion though. Make Leonard realise his apology was truthful and return to being friends.

* * *

 **Hello everyone, thanks you for all the reviews. Although I do have an idea of how the next you few chapters will unfold, please feel free to drop any more ideas and suggestions in the reviews section. Feedback is always welcome, thanks very much, I will aim for a new chapter in 2 - 3 weeks.**

 **As well as this, please feel free to suggest any new books, TV shows or movies to make a new story on. I'm really keen to be starting a new one as well as continuing this. Thanks again.**

 **Darkstarre (DS)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Leonard sat on a couch, staring blankly at the walls. It had been several hours since he had conversed with Sheldon and he seemingly wanted to apologise. Leonard had given the matter a lot of thought, but his mind continuously wandered back to the same conclusion. Was Sheldon's apology actually a genuine one? His paranoia was kicking in and Leonard had an inkling that the apology had a pleasant façade but in reality was Sheldon trying to make Leonard let his guard down.

Raj opened three beer bottles and presented them to Howard and Leonard, both accepting graciously. Leonard was thankful that Sheldon had decided to make an untimely visit to the library as he could now be given some space to breather and openly discuss the matter at hand.

Leonard took a long swig, feeling the beer cascade soothingly down his throat, like a waterfall, before setting his glass down, preparing to inform his friends on the recent event.

"So, here's the thing. This morning, Sheldon apologised to me. And not even in that awkward way when he obviously doesn't mean it, but in a way that seemed sincere. He's never been able to fake his feelings so I want to believe that it's legitimate but I don't know what I should do."

Raj and Howard exchanged surprised glances as they simultaneously took a quick gulp of their drinks.

"He must be serious about it then if he's that regretful," Howard stated.

"Give him a final chance dude," Raj suggested, "but if he hurts you again, don't look back."

"But is he actually sorry?" Leonard asked, frustrated.

Howard thought for a few moments. "Maybe, maybe not. He has always been desperate to win this prize. The lengths and measures he would go to in order to secure him it could include him taking up acting and feigning his regret."

Raj piped up, "No, we would've known if that happened. He would have stuck to his rigid schedule."

"He could have asked Penny for help," suggested Leonard.

"Oh yes, what a fantastic idea, ask the waitress who moved to California for a shot at acting but hasn't got a job in two years and has only had one main role above a bowling alley to aid him in acting."

"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're talking about," Leonard countered defensively.

"Oh please, just try and deny that I'm wrong," Howard retorted.

Leonard looked away as Raj chipped in, "Yeah dude, one haemorrhoid commercial and one acting job for the diary of Anne Frank above a bowling alley isn't a lot to back you up here."

"Some help you guys are," Leonard mumbled.

"Look, the point is that Sheldon could not have gone to an acting class and wouldn't have asked Penny for help anyway, she's still upset and seething about the way he has been recently."

"What about online classes?" Raj enquired.

"No, he despises them. He gave me a rant once when I tried to sign up to a photography one," Leonard rolled his eyes as he recounted the tale.

"Why?" said Raj.

"He says that they scam you out of your money and that due to their virtual presence, he can't fight them."

"He thinks that if they were next to him and scammed him out of his money, he would actually fight them?" Howard laughed.

"Yeah I know, but that proves that he doesn't go near online classes," Leonard said.

The trio sat quietly for a few moments, consuming their beer, contemplating all the possible variables in the situation.

"Leonard," Raj started, catching the attention of the other two. "I'll be completely honest with you. I think that you should give him another chance."

Leonard seemed about to protest but Howard quickly said, "Actually, I agree with Raj. We've eliminated the possibility of him feigning it, so that leaves the conclusion that he is actually guilt – ridden and wants to make amends with you. I think personally that you should forgive him but don't let your guard down. Just in case, so if the worst happens and he is actually deceitful, you have lost the bare minimum: his friendship."

Leonard sipped his beer and lay back as he thought about this for a few moments.

"Yeah," Leonard said.

He got up, feeling slightly better, more rejuvenated.

"Yeah, I'll forgive him. Only this once though. Not again. Thanks guys," he said as he headed to his bedroom.

* * *

Sheldon was sitting in his spot, quietly, trying to resist the urge to demand Leonard's response. He had expected Leonard to make his decision relatively quickly. He either forgave him or he didn't. It was a black or white decision. Or so he had thought. Sheldon had not anticipated the shades of grey that lingered between the black and white and could only assume that Leonard's thoughts were in the midst of it all.

He checked the time - 5:30pm. He was reading a book by another physicist and was so far intrigued by the area of research but disappointed by the approach that this physicist had taken. And by the physicist himself of course. Leonard entered the apartment. He had been out, for various reasons but now that he had returned, Sheldon's curiosity was burning brightly, begging for Leonard to reveal his decision.

Leonard stared at Sheldon before greeting him, "hey."

Sheldon politely returned, "hello."

Leonard slowly walked over to his seat and sat down, increasing the agonising wait that Sheldon was forced to endure.

"Listen, Sheldon," Leonard began. "I have thought about it for a while and decided that I will accept your apology and I am happy for us to become friends again." He gave a small smile.

Sheldon's face lit up. "Oh thank you Leonard, that is pleasing. I hope that we can resume our relationship where we left off."

Leonard raised an eyebrow, "With you being a jealous friend and feeling smug about pouring yoghurt in my bed?"

Sheldon felt a wave of guilt flood over him. "Okay then from where we stood before you were nominated and this fiasco began."

"With you bragging, conceitedly whilst you were planning your acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize?"

Sheldon groaned internally. "Fine, let's begin a new relationship where we have no incidents or fiascos to remember."

Leonard gave him a grin. "Sure."

They shook hands, confirming the deal and then switched on the television to watch a rerun of Doctor Who.

"Leonard?"

"Yeah Sheldon?"

"How did Penny take you deciding to forgive me? After all she practically risked ruining her friendship for Amy by throwing it out on the line for you?"

Leonard's eyes grew wide as he realised what Sheldon meant.

"Oh no," he groaned as the penny dropped and he sat back, facepalming, "she will be livid."

* * *

 **Hello people, well here is chapter 8! I'll be looking to post chapter 9 within the next month or so because I'm pretty busy with a lot of stuff. Whilst I appreciate the views, please drop a review if you can, it really makes my day. Any suggestions or feedback is always welcome as well as constructive criticism. Please also comment any characters you want me to include, I know that I've kept it relatively narrow with just the main ones but any suggestions for minor/ side characters is welcome. Don't forget to drop a review or predict what will happen next. Thanks, and signing out now.**

 **Darkstarre (DS)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Leonard rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he stepped outside the comforting atmosphere of his apartment. It was a warm evening and the stuffy hallway didn't improve his apprehension at informing his girlfriend that he had made up with his buddy who had caused all the drama.

He wondered how long he would still be able to call Penny that: his girlfriend. Maybe for roughly five more minutes if there's drama tonight, he concluded grimly, as a grimace formed on his face.

Leonard knocked twice on the door, his mind furiously rehearsing the speech he had been planning, since Sheldon had so kindly reminded him of his duty in informing Penny.

" God dammit Sheldon," he thought as his fingers nervously drummed against the sides of his thighs and his hands started to become clammy and sweaty.

Leonard heard movement from the other side of the room and a muffled, 'coming', prompting a small smile, as he enjoyed the strangely soothing sound of her voice.

The door swung wide open as Penny appeared dressed, ready to go out somewhere evidently.

"Oh, hey Leonard, what's up?" Penny asked, popping the 'p'.

Leonard took an inaudible deep breath in as he gave himself a final thought of encouragement to act boldly and confidently.

"Uh..uh..uh..." he stuttered as Penny gave him a grin at his clumsiness with his words.

"So, h-h-here's the th-th-thing," he began, desperately trying to regain and summon any minute scrap of confidence that hid, concealed in the realms and depths of his body.

"Sheldon and I... well..." he paused, hoping that Penny would comprehend the current scenario and develop a sympathetic, understanding approach.

Needless to say, that did not happen.

"Ugh... that jerk!" Penny spat, evidently still basking in rays of fury towards Leonard's roommate.

"I am really glad that you stopped being friends with him once and for all Leonard, you know when I first met you guys, you were nice and he was socially awkward and I accepted that. But as time went on and I kept seeing you guys more and more, I sometimes felt pretty angry with him, but decided to just bite my tongue. Like he was so mean to all of you. He made fun of your career, Howard being an engineer and not having a...what do you call it?" Penny tailed off.

"A PhD," Leonard filled in.

"Right," continued Penny. "So I eventually wondered whether I should tell you to break off your friendship with him, but you seemed like such good friends and I knew that you had a lot of history so I decided against it."

"Isn't you telling me to break off my friendship with Sheldon manipulative?" Leonard asked.

"No, it's healthy Leonard. You shouldn't be around people who you don't like and who don't respect you," Penny replied, frowning, slightly aggravated by the comment.

Leonard felt a pang of guilt towards Penny's words. He liked Sheldon, despite the fact that he was sometimes intolerable and hoped that his roommate liked him back. Although it was true that he sometimes didn't offer him, Raj, Howard or anyone really the respect that they deserved, he knew that he had been gradually improving ad that it had been his goal to achieve a state where he was fully capable of reading people's emotions, their situations and make the link between their current circumstances and why they were feeling that way.

Leonard remembered the time when Sheldon couldn't understand why Penny was upset and crying, having been locked out of her apartment when she had returned from an audition, after an hour drive just to be immediately rejected. He was utterly bewildered that although Penny, "had clearly stated that she would rather sit on the floor and cry like a baby rather than wait in their apartment for the locksmith", she had stormed inside furiously.

Leonard quickly snapped out of his memory and returned to the gargantuan task at hand: telling Penny of his decision to re-establish his friendship with Sheldon and to convince her that this was the correct thing to do.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Penny questioned, leaning against the door, propping it open.

"Uh, can we sit down? It may take a bit of time," Leonard explained.

"Sorry Leonard, I'm going dancing with Bernadette and I need to leave in ten minutes."

"Okay, well, uh, here's the thing," Leonard started.

He took a deep breath and prepared to reveal the cold, hard truth. He knew that it would sting for Penny; he just desperately hoped that she wouldn't completely flip out and break up with him on the spot. He had plenty of experience when it came to spontaneous breakups. This would be his seventh if things didn't go to plan within the next couple of minutes or so.

"So, yesterday, Sheldon came up to me. He apologised and it seemed pretty genuine. So, I forgave him and we returned to being friends," Leonard said hastily.

Penny stared at him for a second, with an unreadable expression etched on her face. Then, she started to laugh.

"Oh, that's funny Leonard. Telling me that Sheldon would apologise on April Fools Day! And that you would be gullible enough to forgive him," Penny laughed heartily.

Leonard fake laughed as he internally groaned.

"Oh, you almost had me for a moment there, Leonard. You were so serious, it was a decent April Fools trick Leonard, but not good enough," Penny continued.

"Oh...uh..yes, well, actually-" Leonard started to explain the truth of the situation.

"Oh, sorry, Leonard, I've got to leave now or I'll be late. Good try though," Penny smiled, as she closed her door, gave Leonard a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried down the stairs.

Leonard heard the words; 'So I forgave him and we became friends, that's funny' resonate from below him. He let out an audible groan of annoyance escape from his mouth and he returned, dejectedly to his apartment, waiting in agony for the moment he would have to return and reveal that it actually wasn't an April Fools joke.

* * *

 **Hello everyone, I proudly present chapter 9! Whilst I appreciate the views, please, please review as well. I would like as many as possible. That would be really great of you and I would seriously appreciate that. Thanks very much, signing out now.**

 **Darkstarre (DS)**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

* 2 days earlier *

Amy paced up and down anxiously in Howard and Bernadette's house as her smaller blonde friend relaxed on the couch, sipping her wine slowly as she thoughtfully took into account the rant that her chum was going through.

"Now, she's probably broken off her friendship with me!" exclaimed Amy, obviously affected by the unpleasant experience of her 'bestie' calling her out for sticking up for her boyfriend.

"What did she expect me to do Bernadette? Penny knows I've never achieved social success. Our social group is my first real set of friends, Penny… is my best friend," she paused hesitantly before sticking with the more uplifting theory that Penny was still her best friend, rather than accepting the loss of her 'bestie'.

"Sheldon is my first boyfriend; I truly care about him and wasn't willing to sacrifice our relationship for Leonard's sake! But Penny absolutely flipped out when I asked her if Leonard could be more sensitive to the current issue, concerning both his and Sheldon's nominations," Amy continued, her emotions beginning to well up, as she recalled the dramatic encounter.

"What should I do? I am not on speaking terms with Penny at the moment. I later called her mobile eight times and I have also sent her six texts but she has not acknowledged any of them! I don't know Bernie. At first, it was just me and her, caught in the centre of a quarrel between our boyfriends. Now, we are being caught in the crossfire and it has really damaged our friendship," Amy sighed, as tears threatened to form in her eyes.

"What should I do?" she asked, sitting down in a beige chair, opposite to her friend.

Bernadette swallowed the last of her wine before turning to her desperate, troubled friend.

"If I was in your position, I would stick up for what I think is right and not back down Amy," Bernadette said. "If you truly believe that you are making the right choice and it's what you really want, then I think you should stick up for Sheldon, even if it means scrapping your friendship with Penny. I guess though that she's in a similar position, and is willing to stick up for Leonard, even if it means she will have to no longer be friends with you".

"I guess I can live with not having Penny grace me with her presence," Amy murmured, sadly.

"But you share the same group of friends, so you will eventually have to confront and acknowledge her. It's not healthy to prolong the inevitable Amy. I think you should try to reconcile soon," Bernadette encouraged, softly.

Abruptly, her phone rang as she quickly said, 'Sorry, I'll just take this quickly,' before disappearing into the kitchen, picking up the call.

Amy nodded, silently as she mulled over her options, attempting to seek the optimum choice. She factored in the possible future encounters with Penny and apart from the scenarios where she grovelled for forgiveness; the future didn't look too bright.

Amy sat up, trying to piece together the puzzle of her problems. Maybe she had gone too far, Amy thought. She knew that Penny cared fiercely for those who were closest to her, especially Leonard. Penny had already been pretty on-edge, since Sheldon had been nominated and was elevating his glory to new heights whilst downplaying Leonard's.

That had evidently angered her bestie. Amy mentally kicked herself as she realised that she probably had pushed Penny past her breaking point, when she asked Leonard to tone it down a bit.

But she had a right to care for herself, didn't she? Sheldon being happy meant a lot to her, and him feeling scared and vulnerable made her upset and feel less secure. Generally, when it came to Penny, Amy was very selfless. But in a rare glimpse of her wanting Penny to kindly oblige to something else, her friend had completely taken it the wrong way, leaving her feelings towards Penny conflicted, making Amy scared, angry and confused.

What had Penny really done for her? Not much; she had introduced Amy to her friends group though it would probably have been like that anyway, being Sheldon's girlfriend. Amy struggled to think of anything else.

She wondered whether their whole friendship was a lie; a joke to everyone else who could see the clear truth: a popular, pretty girl, constantly being burdened by her embarrassing, socially awkward, needy self proclaimed 'bestie'.

"Come to think of it," Amy thought, a revelation suddenly occurring to her, "She's never actually called me that".

Sadness instantly eclipsed Amy. Intense emotions flowed through her blood as she felt her face heat up. Was their friendship real? Did Penny just go along with it to profit from something else? Or did she simply put up with Amy for the sake of it? Or did Penny actually like her?

Amy dismissed these negative thoughts, but some lingered painfully in her memory. Surely, she would have known if Penny didn't like her? Her friend wasn't one to beat around the bush. Even so, Amy was unsure.

She tried to condense her thoughts, as tiring ideas bothered her exhausted mind. She looked again at her phone. Eight calls and six texts. She began to type out another text to Penny. In this one, she was apologising for her actions, declaring them out of order, begging to be friends again. Amy read it again before promptly deleting it. It was too needy. She tried another. In the second one, she was calling out Penny for her furious response, stating that it was rude, out of order and that she was the one to blame, criticising her view on the whole matter, announcing that her ignoring was childish and immature. She deleted that quickly too.

Amy slumped back despondently, sinking into the luscious velvet material. It seemingly wrapped around her body, comforting her in a warm manner, engulfing her and her worries.

Bernadette returned to the room and sat down quickly.

"Penny just called," she explained as Amy flinched at the name. "She invited me over tomorrow for a girls night in".

Truth be told, Amy felt hurt. Whilst they were still fighting, she considered it betrayal to invite Bernie, the neutral. It was as if she was trying to coax and lure Bernadette onto her side. Amy hoped that Bernadette would decline the offer.

"I accepted," Bernadette said watching Amy's face fall, "but I have an idea".

"You can come too. Then at least talk it out. Even if you don't return to being friends, you would have tried and gotten it over with, without having to worry whether it was the right or wrong thing to do".

Amy thought about it for a few moments.

"If she is being uncooperative, I will leave and go home," Bernadette assured her.

Amy nodded, a small smile forming at the corners of her mouth.

"Alright," she said, "alright., I'll give it a shot."

* * *

 **10 chapters, let's go people! Thank you to everyone who views this story and thanks even more if you drop a review. As I've said before they really brighten my day and I really appreciate them. I do have a plan for the next couple of chapters but please suggest any things you would like to see happen, any characters you want me to add or anything else at all. Thanks very much!**

 **Darkstarre (DS)**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

*Present time*

Penny slipped on her fluorescent yellow shoes and grabbed her purple handbag off the couch. She exited her apartment and locked the front door, before checking the time on her phone: seven thirty. Penny had agreed to go dancing with Bernadette at a local bar that was holding a karaoke night. In the past, she would have been there for the seemingly endless night of free drinks and muscular guys who she would inevitably have brought home, but over the past few years, Leonard had helped to rein her down, tame her from a wild horse to one with a great deal more self control and self esteem. This had manifested itself in penny cutting down her excessive nights of drinking and dancing from several times a week to a few rare nights in a single month. She had rejected the last couple of times that Bernadette had offered the proposal of going out in both fear of experiencing a vestigial sense of what her rowdy, reckless past self used to be like as she worried it could revert her back to the way she used to be and she had started to just enjoy life in general more. She felt healthier and happier than ever.

Tonight though, when Bernadette had asked her if she was willing to go with her, Penny had wholeheartedly agreed. She had been angry for the past eleven days and it was all down to her boyfriend's stupid roommate.

"No," she thought, "stupid isn't the right word."

Inconsiderate. Yep, one hundred percent inconsiderate. He had insulted and torn down Leonard and though he had tried to put a wall up, she could see in his eyes that his pride had been wounded, perhaps irreparably so. She was also equally seething at Amy who had tried to shift the blame subtly onto Leonard. Penny could understand the socially inept lunatic that was Sheldon not being able to comprehend how he hurt Leonard, but Amy? She should have known better. Penny just needed to vent at the minute. As great as Leonard was, he wasn't the harshest of people and so he was not the ideal candidate. Bernadette, on the other hand, was feisty and usually gave decent advice, which Penny would probably gladly take on board, especially after the encouragement of a few glasses of red wine…

"Limit yourself to three glasses," Penny sternly informed herself.

And then earlier today, Leonard had come over, joking how Sheldon had apologised profusely and how he had forgiven him and that all was well and good between them. Penny scoffed. As if Leonard was foolish enough to forgive Sheldon. Granted, his genuine demeanour and nervous expression had almost made her fall for it; then she remembered that it was the first of April and she quickly caught her mistake. Still though, her gut instinct felt strange. But Leonard hadn't corrected her when she pointed out that she knew it was a trick at the end, so he was joking, right?

Penny shook these thoughts from her head and continued down the stairwell. She glanced across at the broken elevator. She had lost count of how man years it hadn't been fixed for. Then her memory suddenly jogged back. She was conversing with Leonard in her apartment after yet another dispute with Sheldon, over such a small matter as altering the thermostat by a few degrees.

Leonard had said that when he was panicking, holding his model rocket in the elevator to take outside, which unbeknownst to him had been designed with the wrong calculations, it was Sheldon, who had calmly plucked it out of his hand, placed it on the lift's floor, and then pulled Leonard outside whilst the interior of the lift apparently exploded. He had saved Leonard and not even requested anything. He had even gone as far as to not tell the landlord or have Leonard ejected out of his property. The memory brought a small smile to her lips as she remembered some of the iconic moments of Leonard and Sheldon's friendship. It truly was one of a kind.

But wasn't Penny supposed to be fuming? Feeling sparks of anger flying off her in the direction of "Shamy"? She felt more confused than angry now; that humorous anecdote had diffused her anger.

She hurried down the stairs and suddenly; another specific memory came back to her. At her Halloween party, just a few weeks after first meeting the residents of 4A, all those years ago. The nostalgia flooded her blood and she wrinkled her nose as she compared her clingy, desperate, poor self, compared to her more professional, proud, current personality. Sheldon had stuck by Leonard as he tried to stand off against Kurt. Ugh, Kurt. Anyway, Sheldon had bravely stood by Leonard, despite rendering himself useless in the form of physical engagements. She felt a pang of guilt towards how she had been treating Sheldon. She had always rolled her eyes and mocked his idiosyncratic ways and rituals, even when he had told her that not abiding by them sometimes severely affected him. Maybe, if Leonard had forgiven him , it was the right thing to do.

Penny clambered into her car and sped off into the inky blackness of night.

But then more recent, vivid memories of the last ten days came back and she started to feel unsure. Torn between two choices. Penny's confusion was only escalating but she hoped to have sorted out her feelings by the end of tonight, through the power of the truth drug known as alcohol and the aid and encouragement of a good friend. She still wasn't sure about Amy though. Penny still maintained that Amy was in the wrong but a creeping sense of doubt amplified itself in her body. She may be ready to forgive Sheldon, but she wasn't sure about Amy.

Penny hopped out of her car and quickly walked to the bar. She saw Bernadette, sitting at a bar stool, her feet not able to touch the ground, in conversation with a person with their hair to the back of her. Penny gave a smile and waved to Bernadette.

Bernadette's attention was piqued and she grinned, waving back to her friend. Penny was relived. For the first time in a while, she was able to be free, drink, and dance. And hopefully, by the end of it all, Bernadette would have helped her to get her problems straight with Sheldon. She would deal with her Amy predicament another day, another time. Penny walked over to Bernadette and greeted her warmly, before turning to the other person. Then, her eyes widened in shock as she instantly recognised the person.

"Amy?!"


End file.
